Nutshell Group – Pakistan Tech News

Nutshell Group to host 6th Edition of ‘The Future Summit’

Nutshell Group will host the 6th Edition of Pakistan’s largest corporate event, The Future Summit, in the commercial capital of Pakistan, Karachi, on February 15-16, 2023.

The theme for this year is ‘Prepare for Disruption,’ which aims to explore emerging business opportunities amid challenges at local and global levels, disruption by technology, and innovation in businesses. The Summit will highlight core issues that businesses and economies are facing, and will deliberate upon strategies to resolve those issues and chalk out the best way forward into the future

Senator Sherry Rahman, Federal Minister for Climate Change; Senator Dr Musadik Malik, Minister of State for Petroleum; Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson Pakistan Stock Exchange, SSGC & Karandaaz; Muhammad Aurangzeb, CEO and President, HBL, Chairman Pakistan Banks’ Association and Chairman Pakistan Business Council; Ghias Khan, CEO, Engro Corporation; Farrukh Amin, CEO, Unity Food Limited, and many national and international experts will express their views on the thought provoking sessions lined up for the 2-day conference.

Nutshell Group customarily partners with leading companies across a variety of sectors including Healthcare, Information Technology, Banking, Engineering, Energy & Power, etc. for this Summit. Nutshell Group would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Summit co-host Engro Corporation, the platinum partner HBL, the headline sponsor Unity Foods Limited, and distinguished sponsors and partners including SAP, K-Electric, Faysal Bank Limited, PTCL, Abacus Consulting Technology Limited, Al Meezan Investment Management Ltd, NBP Funds, Hilton Pharma, S&P Global, OICCI, CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP, Institute of Business Management, and ACCA.

The Future Summit (TFS) is an annual event, bringing together the most influential and forward-thinking corporate leaders and senior management from Pakistan and abroad, to highlight and discuss local and global challenges in an ever-evolving world, and their solutions through collaborative thinking. TFS is a flagship brand of the Nutshell Group that attracts distinguished speakers and audiences from a multitude of industries and focuses on sustainable business strategies for the future.

This initiative of Nutshell Group of holding business summits over the years, covering a variety of domains and sectors, has received immense appreciation from the government, corporate, private, and public sectors, as well as the civil society. The Nutshell Group aims to expand the scope of this conference at the regional level in coming years.

Complete list of speakers is given below:
Ghias Khan, CEO, Engro Corporation; Muhammad Aurangzeb, CEO and President HBL, Chairman, Pakistan Banks’ Association and Chairman Pakistan Business Council; Farrukh Amin, Chief Executive Officer, Unity Foods Limited; Aamir Ibrahim, CEO and President, Jazz and Chairman Mobilink Microfinance Bank; Jimmy Nguyen, Chief Executive Officer, Blockchain for All; Dana Al Salem, Global Tech Entrepreneur, Investor & Innovation Expert; Ahmed Al-Faifi, Senior Vice President Middle East & Africa North, SAP; William Bao Bean, General Partner, SOSV and Managing Director, Orbit Startups; Sajjeed Aslam, Regional Lead Public Affairs, Asia Pacific, ACCA; Yousaf Hussain, President & CEO, Faysal Bank Limited; Shazad Dada, President & CEO, United Bank Limited; Amir Paracha, Chairman & CEO, Unilever Pakistan Limited; Zeeshan Sheikh, Country Manager Pakistan & Afghanistan, International Finance Corporation; Maheen Rahman, Chief Executive Officer, InfraZamin Pakistan; Farrukh Khan, CEO & Managing Director, Pakistan Stock Exchange; Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson, Pakistan Stock Exchange, SSGC & Karandaaz; ACM Sohail Aman (Rtd), Chief Executive Strategic Engagements, Nutshell Group & Pakistan’s Chief of Air Staff (2015- 2018); Adam Weinstein, Research Fellow, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft; Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi, Chief Executive Officer, K-Electric Limited; Naeem Zamindar, Founder, Neem & Former Minister of State; Muhammad Tariq Malik, SI, Chairman, NADRA; Saeed Mohammed AlHebsi, Advisor in AI, Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, UAE; Asif Peer, Chief Executive Officer, Systems Limited; Dr Shahid Mahmud, Chairman & CEO, Interactive Group of Companies; Ammara Masood, Chief Executive Officer, NdcTech; Mujeeb Zahur, Managing Director, S&P Global; Saquib Ahmad, Country Managing Director, SAP Pakistan; Adil Farhat, Chief Executive Officer, Procter & Gamble Pakistan; Ahmed Khan Bozai, Managing Director & City Country Officer, Citibank; Naz Khan, Principal Country Officer, International Finance Corporation Pakistan; Javed Ghulam Mohammad, Group Managing Director & CEO, Martin Dow Group; Steve Lee, Regional Head of Employer Relations & Market Development, Asia Pacific, ACCA; Paul Keijzer, Co-Founder & CEO, The Talent Games and Founder & CEO, Engage Consulting; Fatima Asad-Said, Chief Executive Officer, Abacus Consulting Technology Limited; Michael Hartmann, Chief Business Officer, Fintech Galaxy; Anna Tutova, CEO, Coinstelegram, Public Speaker, Fortune Media Journalist; Dereck Hoogenkamp, Chairman, Yalla Limited and Partner, Aeroverse; Dr. Rehan Al Taji, Founder & CEO, PXDX FZ LLC, UAE and Partner & Head of Projects, Gabriel Jobs, KSA; Vasilisa Marinchuk, Director of International Relations, Centre Blockchain of Catalonia; Muhammad Zeeshan Abid, Partner Advisory, Parker Russell AJS & Board Member, InvoiceMate, UAE; Neil Ford, Director of Growth, Big Dog Mining, USA; Muhammad Salman Anjum, Founder & CEO, InvoiceMate, UAE; Mohamed Abdel Razek, Chief Technology & Operations Officer, Middle East & Africa, Standard Chartered Bank; Najy Benhassine, Country Director Pakistan, The World Bank; Maroof A. Syed, President & CEO, CERP and Fellow, Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy & Finance, Princeton University; Dr Amjad Waheed, Chief Executive Officer, NBP Funds; Ali Khizar, Head of Research, Business Recorder; Mohammad Shoaib, CFA, Chief Executive Officer, Al Meezan Investment Management Limited; Zarrar Hasham Khan, Group Chief Business Solutions Officer, PTCL; Dato Merina Abu Tahir, Council Member, ACCA; Director, Tenaga Nasional Berhad and SP Setia Berhad, Malaysia; Wafa Makhlouf, Executive Director, CEED Tunisia; Saira Awan Malik, President, TCS Private Limited; Mujeeb Zahur, Managing Director, S&P Global; Tanzeela Hussain, Global HR Business Partner, British Council; James Michael Lafferty, CEO & Board Member, Fine Hygienic Holding; Olympic Coach, Speaker & Corporate Trainer.

MAP Elects Muhammad Azfar Ahsan as its President

Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder & CEO of Nutshell Group, has been elected as the President of the Marketing Association of Pakistan (MAP), the apex body of marketing in the country. He previously served MAP in various capacities, including his recent role as the Vice President of MAP. Azfar has served as Minister of State & Chairman, Board of Investment and Government of Pakistan. He is also the Founder of the CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP, which represents the elite of Pakistan’s national intelligentsia, including corporate and government leaders, policymakers, academicians, defense personnel, media practitioners, and movers and shakers of civil society.

Other office bearers elected to MAP this year include Saqib Saleem from Arif Habib Investments as Vice President MAP; Jahangir Rasheed from Dalda Foods as Honorary Secretary; and Asim Shafiq from Abbott Laboratories as Honorary Treasurer.

Azfar is a visionary and has brought innovation and growth to all his ventures. He plans to restructure and expand MAP to become a global voice for Pakistan. He hopes to bring his expertise as an influencer and a connector to the marketing landscape, enabling all stakeholders to collaborate for the best global representation of Pakistan.

Commenting on the occasion, Muhammad Azfar Ahsan expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the marketing fraternity for reposing trust in his leadership and allowing him to serve the industry and Pakistan at large.
“My priority is to strengthen and expand the platform of the Association across the country, with the induction of new members and new chapters from the genres of traditional marketing and emerging digital space alike. Being an advocate of diversity, I look forward to more female leadership defining new contours of Marketing.”

As Founder & CEO of Nutshell Group, which is the parent group for Nutshell Communications, Nutshell Conferences, and Nutshell Solutions, he has led and initiated many strategic developments and discussions inside and outside Pakistan. He plans to give the same edge to MAP, by enabling experts to share the best visions for the future.

Azfar is the thought leader behind two of Pakistan’s largest corporate events – LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT (LIIBS) and THE FUTURE SUMMIT (TFS). Through these platforms as well as several other initiatives, he has also hosted hundreds of foreign delegates in Pakistan in the last 2 decades.

Azfar served as the Chairman of MARCON 2016, Pakistan’s flagship marketing event, where he endorsed creativity and innovation as the drivers for business success. He was honored by the Canada Pakistan Business Council (CPBC) in 2019 and received the “Global Outreach Award” from them. In December 2020, the US State Department featured Azfar in their list of 80 selected alumni of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP). These 80 individuals were selected out of 225,000 IVLP alumni worldwide. In May 2022, he received the “Global Visionary Award for Global Connectivity of Businesses and Communities” by the BSV Blockchain Association, further confirming his commitment to the modernization of businesses.

Azfar is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Financial Markets of Pakistan, RYTS Global (Rytsglobal.com), Make-A-Wish Foundation Pakistan, and the Advisory Board of Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital Karachi. He plans to integrate his learnings for the sustained growth of MAP. His mission is to widen MAP’s horizon to include all areas of expertise.

The former Presidents of MAP, S. Masood Hashmi, Talib S. Kamran, Syed Imran Ahmed, Sarmad Ali, and many senior members, shared their felicitations for Azfar on assuming this important role.

Thought Leaders Dialogue – Pakistan: The Next Great Infrastructure Connector

ISLAMABAD: Renowned Economic, Energy, and Business Leadership came together for highlighting and exploring trade and strategic ties with the regional countries for boosting National and Regional Economies, through the development of infrastructure of Roads and Rail links, Energy Corridors, and Digital Connectivity.

Speaking at the “Thought Leaders Dialogue – The Next Great Infrastructure Connector,” organized at a local hotel recently, by Nutshell Group and CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP, the speakers emphasized the need for a national consensus of all political parties on the core issue of the continuity and consistency of long-term policies. The roadmap of economic recovery is only possible under a comprehensive charter of the economy which is honored by all stakeholders.

Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder & CEO, Nutshell Group and CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP and Ex-Minister of State & Chairman Board of Investment, opened the session with his brief overview of the necessity to address the concern for regional connectivity as a pillar for the economic development of Pakistan. He stated the need for a strong policy structure that should be long-term. He hoped to have this session become an effective platform for highlighting the same.

Senator Dr. Musadik Malik, Minister of State (Petroleum Division), shared his affirmation of the same by stating that ‘’Countries do not grow in isolation, rather regions grow, together like ASEAN, NAFTA, and GCC.’’ He said the economic growth of the region can only be sustainable with ties and development of projects of trade and energy infrastructure regionally. Lack of consistency and sustainability has already impacted the GDP negatively, up to 2 to 2.5% per the World Bank’s study. A small example of LNG can go a long way. Pakistan can import and become an exporter to the landlocked Central Asian states through Gwadar. He mentioned that TAPI and IP gas pipeline projects are very good projects but the regional instability remains the hindrance. Pakistan has to mitigate the security risk and diversify its energy mix.

Dr. Moeed W. Yusuf, the Former National Security Adviser of Pakistan, commented on the 92% of border sharing with 3 important countries, India, Iran, and Afghanistan yet due to geopolitical challenges the trade has potentially suffered. Geo-economy is the combination of regional connectivity, partnership, and collaboration. Most Pakistan maintains fences with Iran and Afghanistan and the movement of the trade should be streamlined in a way that the fence should be a facilitation rather than a hindrance to the regional trade.

5th LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT to take place in Islamabad

Islamabad: The 5th edition of LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT, is to be held on August 17 and 18, 2022 at the picturesque Serena Hotel in Islamabad. The Summit will be jointly hosted by Nutshell Conferences Group and Martin Dow Group, in strategic partnership with OICCI – Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

LIIBS 2022 is 5th in the series and brings together the top local and international business and corporate leaders, as well as notable Government and political personalities, entrepreneurs, strategists, tech gurus and intelligentsia, to discuss and share best practices and routes, reflect on challenges, envision the future, and share creative and innovative strategies. The Summit highlights the best way forward for success, which is sustainable, inclusive, and profitable.

Federal Minister for Finance & Revenue, Dr. Miftah Ismail; Senator Sherry Rahman, Federal Minister for Climate Change; and Senator Musadik Malik, Minister of State (Petroleum Division); will grace the event as guests of honor.

“Imagineering the Future’’ will be the theme of this year’s two-day Summit, which will bring together more than 30 distinguished and renowned panelists belonging to diverse industries. The primary agenda will entail discussions and solutions about the present and the future of public health, digital opportunities, healthcare, value systems, economic realities, productivity, innovation, and investments. The Summit will have the leadership from Pakistan’s corporate and public sectors, joined by the following international speakers:

·        Ralph Simon, Founder & Chief Executive, Mobilium Global Limited, UK
·        Jimmy Nguyen, Founding President, BSV Block Chain Association
·        James Michael Laﬀerty, CEO & Board Member, Fine Hygienic Holding; Olympic Coach, Speaker & Corporate Trainer
·        Khoo Boo Hock, Chairman, InfraZamin; Director & Co-Founder, Green Guarantee Company, UK
·        Malak Al Akiely, CEO, Golden Wheat for Grain Trading Limited
·        Markus Strohmeier, Managing Director & CEO, Siemens Pakistan
·        Prof. Francis Davis, Professor of Public Policy, University of Birmingham & Vising Professorial Fellow, University of Oxford, UK
·        William Bao Bean, General Partner, SOSV and Managing Director, Orbit Start-ups
·        Ron Thomas, Managing Director, Strategy Focus Group, USA & UAE
·        Douglas Corley, Founder, DHB Global & CEO, Alaunius Technologies & Global Panel Member, MIT Technology Review
·        Dr. Selena Milanovic, Strategy Consultant – Healthcare, Siemens Advanta Consulting and Global Shaper, World Economic Forum
·        Joey Wilson, Senior Consultant, EY-Parthenon and Global Shaper, World Economic Forum
·        Nick Van Breda, Co-Founder, Vertelknuﬀel & Premium Coach, ExO Works
·        Dorine Van Der Wijk, Founder & Researcher, Swirls of Life, The Netherlands
·        Paul Papadimitriou, Founder, Intelligencr, London; Global Keynote Speaker & Futurist
·        Oscar Wendel, Journalist, Author / Partner, METAL International, USA

·        Michal Kugleman, Deputy Director & Senior Associate for South Asia, The Wilson Centre
·        Arif Anis, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of “I’MPOSSIBLE” and “MADE IN CRISES” & Founder of HumanX, UK
·        Zain Jeewanjee, CEO & Founder, Zain Jeewanjee Insurance Agency, USA and Member Board of Advisors, RAND Corporation

Nutshell Conferences Group has always been a keen and active supporter of transformative initiatives and maintains a wide platform for the launch of ideas that can help Pakistan and other countries in the context of regional and global development. With an impressive lineup of the best of the best from Pakistan and beyond, LIIBS is going to be an excellent showcase of ideal structures to work with.

Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder of Nutshell Group and CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP, is a strong supporter of innovation and development. He believes that sharing of good ideas and focused conversations are essential for progress. He is enthusiastic about the 2 days of great learning and exchange of ideas. Announcing the Summit, Azfar said that Covid-19 refrained the world from such opportunities for the last couple of years. The platform of LIIBS, and the associated discussions, will help us project on the global stage, the potential of Pakistan for investment and collaboration. This will also create several new opportunities for coming together and devising strategies for innovation and growth. Moreover, LIIBS is a very effective tool to encourage foreign investors and regain their confidence in Pakistan.

Chairman Martin Dow Group, Ali Akhai, believes that Pakistan is the land of opportunities for investors and businessmen, with a huge potential for business and the economy, worldwide. The Summit, according to him, will give a platform to foreign investors, businessmen, and policymakers to explore and multiply these opportunities.

Leadership’s role is crucial for Pakistan’s progress: Arif Alvi

Islamabad: The leadership role is very crucial in challenging times; it is about understanding issues and being persistent in the pursuit of solutions. If the leadership is clear-headed, it can lead the nation on the path to progress. This was stated by Dr. Arif Alvi, President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in an exclusive interview with Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, CEO and Founder CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP and Nutshell Group.

He said that stability in the economy does not happen overnight; it needs sustainable efforts for an elected government based on competent people with the right skill set to address issues of public interest. In Pakistan, unfortunately, public representatives become part of the assemblies on the basis of relationships in different communities.

Dr. Alvi said that the Charter of Economy seems a very promising idea for the stability of the economy, but it is challenging in a country where different political parties have starkly different political ideologies; however, the best course of action for economic progress is a democratic setup which is empowered through votes.

Pakistan has fared far better than world economies during the last few years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the President said. He hoped that Pakistan will soon get out of the ongoing crisis, which has a lot to do with global inflationary trends as well as domestic uncertainties.

“I am optimistic that the situation will get better in Pakistan, which was first the victim of a long wave of terrorism that kept the foreign investors at bay. By the grace of God, we fought well against terrorists and prevailed. Then the COVID-19 pandemic came, and Pakistan fought that battle well too,” the President further said.

He emphasized that the adoption of knowledge and technology in the system is needed to bring change in our society, and this can be pursued better by the private sector than government institutions, but the policies should be consistent, and their implementation should be speedy.

Dr. Alvi said that he is a firm believer that the focus of Parliament and leadership should be on access to education for the masses. “There is a huge gap in education in Pakistan; it is going to be the single biggest issue in the next ten years. Uneducated people should receive suitable skills, and those with a mediocre educational background should be equipped with a better skill set,” he added.

The President praised the overseas Pakistanis for their unwavering support and valuable contribution to the economy, urging them to provide intellectual support for the empowerment of the Pakistani people, mainly through education.

The overseas Pakistani diaspora comprises workers, largely in the Middle Eastern countries, but a significant section, of up to 10%, is well settled in different countries; they can play a significant role for the development of Pakistan, the President said. “I requested them to adopt health and education institutions in Pakistan as the world needs human intellect. For instance, in cyber defense and cyber protection, the world needs 80 million professionals. I told them that every professional they train in this field will get work. There are so many other fields that need human resources,” he added.

Speaking about the geopolitical situation, Dr. Alvi opined that Pakistan should follow a smart approach which must be independent, while avoiding a definite tilt towards a specific bloc. To withstand pressures from different sides, he said that the economy needs to stand on its own feet. Plus, we must prefer sovereignty (khuddari) for the nation.

To a question about the growing polarization in Pakistani society and what should his role be as the head of the state, Dr. Alvi replied that he may not be able to convince the most polarized people to change their views, but he can unite the less polarized people around national causes.

“In COVID times, I did my best to keep Ulemas on board, and it worked very well. What we decided with the religious fraternity in Pakistan, the Muslim world followed the same later, e.g. keeping the mosques open for prayer during the pandemic,” Dr. Arif Alvi said.

He mentioned that the Presidency played a role in raising its voice on the issue of women’s right to inheritance. It also provided significant support to the PM Digital Skills Program, in which 24 million people participated, and a significant number out of them is making good money to support their families.

Regarding the future of Pakistan, Dr. Alvi said that the country is destined for development and prosperity due to its remarkable potential, but its institutions should be strengthened on a sustainable basis. A knowledge-based Pakistan needs less brick-and-mortar investment and more intellectual investment, he said.

The nation should elect a good leadership, and it is then up to the leadership to establish institutions and rid Pakistan of people with the vested interests, he concluded.